Cigarette holder



Dec. 20, 1955 J. D. ALTEMUS CIGARETTE HOLDER Filed March 6, 1953 a $3 a 2 i w m INVENTOR. JAMES DOBSON ALTEMUS I H TTORNEYS.

2,727,519 CIGARETTE HOLDEll 7, James Dobson Altemus, New York, N. Y. Application March 6, 1953, Serial No. 340,773

2 Claims. (01.,131-182) This invention relates to improvements in cigarette holders and it relates particularly to a cigarette holder having an improved type of mechanism for ejecting a partially consumed cigarette (cigarette butt) from the cigarette holder.

The invention has as its objects the provision of a cigarette holder having a cigarette ejecting mechanism that is simple in structure, fool-proof and efiective in operation, easy to clean, and which permits the use of a filter member or the like in the holder without interference with the ejecting mechanism.

More particularly, the invention includes a tubular holder having a mouthpiece or bit at one end. The tubular holder has a cylindrical bore in it in which is slidably received a sleeve formed of a pair of relatively movable ejector slides of generally trough-like shape. The slides fit snugly in the bore in the tubular holder in edge-to-edge engagement so that they can be moved endwise relative to the holder and to each other. Each of the slides has a partition or stop shoulder therein extending partially across it near its outer end to serve as a stop for limiting the insertion of a cigarette into the sleeve. Inasmuch as the stop elements are fixed to the slides, movement of one of the slides will displace the cigarette butt relative to the other slide so that upon outward movement of either of the slides, the cigarette butt is ejected from the holder.

The ejector slides are retained frictionally in the holder and they may be removed readily for cleaning or replacement or to permit the insertion and removal of a filter element between their inner ends. The ejector slides preferably are provided with flanges at their outer ends which are accessible at the end of the cigarette holder to enable them to be moved individually or in unison to eject the cigarette butt or remove the slides from the holder.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a view in longitudinal section through a cigarette holder of the type embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section through the cigarette holder illustrating the position of the ejecting mechanism in ejecting a cigarette butt from the holder; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the slides making up the ejecting sleeve, the slides being shown separated and in an exploded position.

The cigarette holder 10 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be of substantially any desired shape, length or surface ornamentation. It may be formed of plastic, wood, metal or any of the other materials commonly used in the manufacture of cigarette holders. The holder 10 includes an elongated tubular portion 11 and a mouthpiece or bit 12. The tubular portion 11 has an enlarged bore 13 which extends a substantial part of the length of the holder.

The ejecting mechanism for the cigarette butt C, as

best shown in Fig. 3 may consist of a pair of trough like slides 14 and 15. The slides are arcuate in crosssection and when brought together so that their longitudinally extending edges 16, 17, 18 and 19 are in engagement, the slides form a two-part hollow sleeve. The slide members 14 and 15 fit snugly in the bore 13 and may be given increased frictional resistance to movement by cutting slots 20, 21, etc. in the rear ends of the slides and springing the material between the slots outwardly.

The slides 14 and 15 have inwardly extending partitions 23 and 24 which may have centrally located notches 25 and 26 therein forming a smoke or air passage. The partitions 23 and 24 are spaced inwardly from the lefthand ends of the slides 14 and 15 about one-quarter to one-half an inch from the outer ends of the slides and define the bottom of a recess 27 in which the end of the cigarette C is received.

The outer ends of the slides 14 and 15 are provided with radial flanges 28 and 29 which normally abut against and extend outwardly beyond the end of the tubular member 11. Either flange can be engaged by a finger to push the corresponding slide outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that when the slide 15, for example, is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, the partition 24 has moved the cigarette butt away from the partition 23 and outwardly beyond the end of the slide 14 so that the butt will drop out of the holder. The cigarette butt may be ejected by projecting either slide 14 or 15 to the position shown in Fig. 2.

If desired, the space Within the slides to the right of the partitions 23 and 24 may be utilized to receive a filter member F, shown in dotted lines, such as another cigarette or a filter cartridge.

Inasmuch as the slides 14 and 15 are retained only frictionally in the bore 13, it will be apparent that they can be removed easily to enable the inside of the holder to be cleaned and also to enable the removal and replacement of a filter element or cartridge, if used.

It will be understood that the cigarette holder may be made of any desired length or configuration, that the ejector slides 14 and 15 may be of about any desired length depending upon whether they are to be used to house a filter element or merely to serve as an ejecting means, and that the holder otherwise is susceptible to many changes without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the form of the cigarette holder disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette holder comprising a tubular member having an end to be received in the mouth and an opposite end to receive a cigarette, a pair of ejector members slidably mounted in said opposite end of said tubular member and slidable relative to each other and to the tubular member, said ejector members being arcuate in cross-section and together defining a chamber for reception of an end of a cigarette and a filter member, a stop member extending inwardly from each ejector member near its outer end to form between the ejector members a relatively shallow outer recess to receive the end of said cigarette and an inner longer recess behind said stop members to receive said filter member, said stop members limiting the entry of the cigarette into said outer recess and outward movement of the filter member from said inner recess, and means connected to each ejector member for moving it relative to the other ejector member and the tubular member to enable the stop member on the ejector member which is moved to eject the cigarette from said outer recess, the stop member of the other ejector retaining the filter member from ejection from said chamber.

PatentedDec. 20, 1955 2. A cigarette holdercomprisin g a tubular member having a mouthpiece at one end, a pair of trough-like slides of arcuate cross-section mounted in said tubular member for sliding movement therein and sliding movement relative to each other, said slides being in edge-to edge engagement and forming therebetweeu a chamber to 're-' ceive the end of a cigarette and a filter member inwardly of the end of the cigarette, a flange at the outer end of each slide, said flange projecting radially behind the tubular member and accessible for moving each slide relative to said tubular member and to each other, and a stop member on each of said slides extending inwardly therefrom adjacent the outer ends of the slides to form a relatively shallow outer recess in the chamber for receiving the end of the cigarette and a relatively longer inner recess for receiving the filter member, said stop members engaging the end of the cigarette to limit its 4 entry between the slide members and enabling the cigarette to be ejected by movement of either of the slide members relative to the other, the stop member which is not moved retaining said filter member in the chamber against inadvertent ejection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,491,840 Artz Apr. 29, 1924 1,527,991 Murphy Mar. 3, 1925 1,821,267 Loesch Sept. 1, 1931 1,927,956 Segal Sept. 26, 1933 NOV. 7, FOREIGN PATENTS 4,838 Great Britain 1384 804,732 Germany Apr. 30, 1951 

